It is often desirable to determine the thickness of a pipe in a well and the properties of materials that surround the pipe, or the well. For example, it may be desirable to determine whether the exterior of a pipe is in contact with fluids or solids, and if so, what type of fluids or solids. Thinning of a pipe due to corrosion may indicate a potential collapse of the pipe. In a downhole context, it may be desirable to determine whether the pipe is tightly bonded to surrounding cement. These are just some examples of when it may be desirable to measure (or even image) through a pipe, or solid tubing wall.
One method for performing such measurements employs an acoustic transducer. Unfortunately, existing technology is limited to pipes having walls less than 0.9 inches thick.